WASHINGTON – The National Confectioners Association has announced a new three-part insights-driven series that explores the impact of COVID-19 on consumer behavior and seasonal and everyday confectionery sales. The first report in the series, titled “Celebrating Confectionery Seasons: 2020,” is now available to all NCA member companies and retail customers.

“Over the last several months, consumers have been eating more meals at home, visiting fewer stores and increasing their level of comfort with online purchasing,” NCA President & CEO John Downs said. “These actions have changed nearly every facet of retail for the confectionery industry. In developing this robust series of reports, we hope to provide actionable insights to our member companies and retail partners so they can feel informed and prepared when making decisions for their businesses throughout and after this pandemic.”

The three-part series pulls from sales performance data, insights from industry leaders and independent research conducted by 210 Analytics, which surveyed more than 1,500 shoppers from across the country, including more than 700 parents. These reports are part of the NCA Sweet Insights education series that also includes NCA’s annual State of Treating report, annual and seasonal performance webinars and the Sweets & Snacks Expo’s Unwrapped digital education.

The first report, available now to NCA member companies and retail customers, examines seasonal confectionery purchases and trends, including insights on the upcoming Halloween confectionery sales season and an outlook on consumers’ opinions of the 2020 winter holiday season. The report also touches on 2020 Valentine’s Day and Easter confectionery sales, which occurred just as the COVID-19 pandemic began to reshape American consumer behavior.

The second and third installments of the series, which will cover everyday confectionery sales and consumer behavioral shifts during COVID-19, will be available to NCA member companies and retail customers by late November 2020. NCA member companies and retail customers can view the first installment of the report at CandyUSA.com/COVIDReports.

An executive summary of the report is also available.

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About the National Confectioners Association (NCA):
The National Confectioners Association is the leading trade organization for the U.S. confectionery industry, which generates $42 billion in retail sales each year. NCA advocates for an environment that enables candy makers to thrive and works to ensure that chocolate, candy, gum and mints are celebrated for their contributions to culture, society, the economy and everyday moments of joy. The industry employs nearly 58,000 workers in more than 1,600 manufacturing facilities across all 50 states and supports an additional 635,000 jobs in related fields. The U.S. confectionery industry has made a commitment to increasing transparency, providing more portion guidance options and educating consumers about the role of confectionery in a happy, balanced lifestyle. Learn more at CandyUSA.com or follow NCA on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.